Hacienda Escudero

"Experience the allure of Philippine country life at Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort. A self-contained working coconut plantation, It was founded in the 1880s by Don Placido Escudero and his wife Dona Claudia Marasigan. Originally planted to sugarcane, the crop was converted to coconut by their son Don Arsenio Escudero in the early 1900s. A pioneering agro-industrialist, he built the country's first working hydroelectric plant to supply his dessicated coconut factory and Villa Escudero, where he and his wife Dona Rosario Adap built in 1929. Their children opened the estate to the public in 1981. From its humble beginnings, the resort has become a prime tourist destination for locals, overseas Filipinos and a wide array of foreign visitors to the country. It has a worldwide reputation as a showcase for the Philippines' rich cultural heritage, offering a beguiling glimpse of its history, cuisine, dress, customs and natural beauty a mere two hours away from Manila." -Villa Escudero Site

Hacienda Escudero or Villa Escudero located at Tiaong, Quezon, is a place close to my heart because of its rural feel and scenery that is much like one of our rural place in Negros, Oriental --- Bayawan City. But only much more maintained, developed and has already attracted lots of tourists. After an almost 3-hour-drive from the metro here are the following activities available:

Arsenio Escudero Hydroelectric Power Plant

Tickets bought at the receiving area
Hacienda Escudero

Hacienda Escudero

Pathway
Hacienda Escudero

Waterfalls
Hacienda Escudero

-buffet lunch at the awesome waterfalls restaurant where you need to submerge your feet, which, I tell you, is cool and a total stress reliever!

Waterfalls Restaurant
Hacienda Escudero

Buffet Lunch
Hacienda Escudero

Waterfalls Restaurant
Hacienda Escudero

Waterfalls Restaurant
Hacienda Escudero

Waterfalls Restaurant
Hacienda Escudero

- carabao ride from anywhere inside the vicinity.

Mini plane
Hacienda Escudero

- cultural show. But we actually missed this, we were too busy enjoying our first stop, the waterfall restaurant. Haha

Some statues depicting rural life
Hacienda Escudero

Arsenio Escudero Hydroelectric Power Plant

- the museum or what I call as church turned into a superb museum. It was unfortunate that cameras are not allowed inside, but after seeing what is INSIDE the museum, I totally respect their family for not allowing cams. My eyes were super wide open while inside the museum seeing all the beautiful collections and at the same time, absorbing everything all at once! I really do encourage you to go to this museum. It is, indeed, one of a kind.

Pink church
Hacienda Escudero

- swimming (but the pools were still under maintenance)

Yours truly by the pool
Hacienda Escudero

- bamboo rafting. My first and awesome experience. We actually decided to do a competition beforehand, but later on decided to the pictorials first. Haha The place is actually very beautiful from the perspective wherein you are on the water. I totally feel that I am making a music video or doing a movie where the scenery is like such place!Haha Splendid!

Yours truly by the bay
Hacienda Escudero

Monument outside the mansion
Hacienda Escudero

- cottages. If you actually decide to stay for the night or more, they have those huge and beautiful cottages too.

Native Chandelier
Hacienda Escudero

Christmas Decorations
Hacienda Escudero

- the mansion which is rich with history and pinkness. Of course, we are not allowed to go inside but we took the pleasure of taking pics as if owning the place. Haha

The Mansion
Hacienda Escudero

House of pinkness
Hacienda Escudero

Last but definitely not the least...

Kenny, Me, Dawn, Gino
Photo Credit: Dawn Sy

The company that made the trip memorable :)

Elal is a traveler, student of life and photography enthusiast who wants to experience and capture what is raved and not raved about. For more about her travels, subscribe here, email at elal.lasola@gmail.com, or visit her portfolio.

OhNO! we're supposed to be here today by officemates, pero cancelled. dami kc plano..My parents used to live in Quezon, and the last time we were there, gusto k tlga pumunta dito kaso malayo at klangan ata ng service? We checked it out at the site kaso 1400 for day tour? hay, I envied you. Like the last pic though.